Hard disk drives (“HDDs”) are widely used to store digital data or electronic information for enterprise data processing systems, computer workstations, portable computing devices, digital audio players, digital video players, and the like. Generally, HDDs store data on a disk with a layer of magnetic material. A transducer head, e.g., read-write head, includes a writing component that magnetically polarizes areas or bits of the magnetic material with one or two polarities to encode either binary zeros or ones. Thus, data is recorded as magnetically encoded areas or bits of magnetic polarity. The direction of the magnetization points in different directions, which can be referred to as a positive state and a negative state. Each bit can store information (generally binary information in the form of either a 1 or a 0) according to the magnetic polarization state of the bit. Typically, bits are arranged along respective radially-adjacent (e.g., concentric) annular tracks of a disk. A single disk can include space for millions of tracks each with millions of bits. A transducer head also includes a reading component that detects the magnetic polarity of each bit or area and generates an electrical signal that approximates the magnetic polarity. The signal is processed to recover the binary data recorded on the magnetic material.
The disks of an HDD rotate as transducer heads hover over the respective disks to read data from and write data to the disks. Rotation of the disks is driven by a spindle motor that is rotatably coupled to the disks via a central spindle. The position of the transducer heads relative to the disks, and the location on the disks from which data is read or to which data is written, is controlled via actuation of a servo motor. The servo motor is co-rotatably coupled to a plurality of armatures each securing a respective one of the transducer heads. As the disks rotate, the servo motor actuates to rotate the armatures and move the transducer heads radially inwardly or outwardly over the disks.
Some conventional HDDs use a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) to communicate commands to the servo motor and transducer head, and receive data read by the transducer head. Because the armatures of HDDs move during operation, an FPCB may be necessary to accommodate secure communications with the servo motor and transducer head. Due to the flexible properties of the FPCB, certain conventional HDDS employ a stiffener bracket or coupling that securely couples the FPCB to the transducer head.